Woodlands wrestler Spjut hungry for spot at top

STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT PREVIEWSpjut hungry for spot at the topThe Woodlands' 119-pounder got a taste last season

TERRY CARTER, For The Chronicle

Published 6:30 am, Friday, February 23, 2007

Photo: Erik Spjut Erik Spjut Of The

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Erik Spjut of the Woodlands is 56-2 this season wrestling at 119 pounds. Last year, as a freshman, he wrestled at 112.

Erik Spjut of the Woodlands is 56-2 this season wrestling at 119 pounds. Last year, as a freshman, he wrestled at 112.

Photo: Erik Spjut Erik Spjut Of The

Woodlands wrestler Spjut hungry for spot at top

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The Woodlands' Erik Spjut finished third at state last year after a last-second loss to Colleyville Heritage's Jeremy Sandoval cost him a shot at the 112-pound state title.

As a freshman, he smiled and accepted the third-place medal. However, Spjut left decidedly hungry for gold. He will have his second chance to win a state championship today and Saturday at the UIL wrestling state championships at Austin's Delco Center.

The meet runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.today and resumes 9 a.m. Saturday. State finals will begin for girls at 3 p.m. Saturday and at 6 p.m. for boys.

A moment's hesitation in the Sandoval quarterfinal match last year has proven a valuable lesson, Highlanders coach Joaquin Bautista said. Now a Cadet All-American and more energetic sophomore, Spjut (56-2) rules Region III and perhaps Texas at 119 pounds.

"His style is non-stop, and I've seen it a lot more this year," Bautista said. "He's non-stop; he doesn't know how to stop. I tell him to work into the third period, and he puts them on their back twice and it's 10-1 in the first period.

"He has a lot of the similarities with (Katy three-time state champion James) Aston. Aston was just a beast, not afraid of anything. Eric is like that now. He's becoming fearless, but he's better technically."

Cinco Ranch, Cy-Fair and The Woodlands will be leading the Houston pack, but no local team has ever won state. Canyon Randall, Arlington Martin, Arlington Bowie and Highland Park likely will contend for the boys' team title.

Girls preview

A quartet of undefeated Houston-area girls will test their mettle in Austin, and all four can bring home gold Saturday afternoon.

Brooks heads to state for the fourth time with 98 consecutive wins and 25 straight tournament titles. If she wins state, she will finish with a 161-6 career record, which Klein assistant coach Mark Brooks said would be the most by any girl in state history.

Don't overlook Katy Taylor's three state qualifiers. The Mustangs can still make a run at a top-five finish if Barron, Adele Kurt (26-0 at 165 pounds) and 95-pounder Heather Manhardt (23-4) finish well.

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No Houston girls' team has won the team title, although Taylor and Katy have excelled in recent years.

Amarillo and Arlington, which bring strong top-to-bottom squads to the tournament, will be favored this weekend.